Professor Longhair's Legacy

The name that our musical guests have most consistently mentioned is Professor Longhair. It began, well, at the beginning. Longhair, whose friends call him Fess, figured into the very first answer from the very first guest on the very first Music Inside Out.

Since then, others have conjured his name when describing the best of New Orleans music. As it turns out, Longhair — who died in 1980 — remains a guiding spirit to musicians and music lovers everywhere. So as a matter of duty and privilege, we’re spreading the joy.

This week’s show is devoted to Henry Roeland Byrd, a.k.a Professor Longhair, and features some of his most ardent musical disciples. We hear from David Torkanowsky, Reggie Scanlan, and Allen Toussaint. We’re also talking with Longhair’s daughter, Pat. As Longhair might say, we’re gonna “Ball the Wall!”

As noggins in New Orleans go, there is no noggin like that of singer-songwriter Alex McMurray. He's got more original characters in his head than a Hollywood film library. Why else would McMurray write a song about the man who shot the man who shot Liberty Valance? (Spoiler Alert: John Wayne is in the crosshairs).